French Polynesia Master
French Polynesia liveaboardComfortably accommodating 25 guests in 11 spacious cabins, the French Polynesia Master is the newest vessel in the Master fleet offering year round 7 and 10 night itineraries to the incredible dive sites of French Polynesia, including the Tuamotu and Marquesas Islands.
Diving in French Polynesia is recommended for more experienced divers, with strong currents bringing in schools of grey reef, silkie, hammerhead, blacktip, silvertip and tiger sharks, along with eagle rays, dolphins, turtles, huge Napoleon wrasse and the opportunity to witness the annual event of tens of thousands of grouper gathering together to mass spawn.
To find out more about this area, visit our French Polynesia page.
Getting there
There are many ways to get to Tahiti, but the most popular route is via Los Angeles, with daily flights from most UK airports to Los Angeles on British Airways, Air New Zealand or Virgin Atlantic airlines, and daily direct flights from Los Angeles to Papeete with Air Tahiti Nui. Flight time to Los Angeles is approximately 11 hours with the onward flight to Papeete being approximately 8 hours 20 minutes.
The French Polynesia Master embarks and disembarks from either Fakarava, Ranigiroa or Papeete, depending on your chosen itinerary. There are daily domestic flights between Tahiti and Rangiroa and 6 or 7 times per week between Tahiti and Fakarava, depending on the season, which take approximately 1 hour.
Guide price: 7 nights from GBP £3546 pp* / 10 nights from GBP £4898 pp*
Includes: full board accommodation, tea, coffee, fruit juice & soft drinks, land excursions, up to 3 dives daily, single 12ltr cylinder with air fills, weights, weight belt, SMB, local transfers on embarkation and disembarkation days
Package excludes: flights, nitrox, equipment hire, on board merchandise, alcoholic drinks, crew and dive guide gratuities, transfers between Papeete international or domestic airports or Papeete hotels, Marine Park & Port Fees: 7 nights Tuamotu Archipelago – USD $70, 10 nights Tuamotu Archipelago – USD $90, 14 nights Tuamotu Archipelago – USD $120, Fakarava & the UNESCO Biosphere Reserve – USD $70, Tuamotu Archipelago – Papeete to Fakarava and Fakarava to Papeete itineraries have a fuel surcharge fee of USD $175 due to increased sailing distance.
*Price shown is for guide purposes only and is based on low season travel and for twin share accommodation. Please contact us for a confirmed cost based on your preferred duration and time of travel.
Quick Guide: French Polynesia Master
- 43m length
- Max 25 passengers
- 12 twin/double cabins
- 1 single cabin
- Recommended diver level: Diving regulations within French Polynesia differ slightly from many areas of the world, please note the following: Open Water and Advanced Open Water divers (or equivalent) are limited to 30m maximum, regardless of whether you carry the Deep Diver Speciality. Rescue Divers and above are permitted beyond 30m/100ft to a maximum of 40m.
Accommodation & Facilities
The French Polynesia Master has 13 en-suite cabins spread over 3 decks. 3 cabins have twin beds, 9 have twin beds which are convertible to
a large double and 1 cabin is offered as single occupancy. All cabins are spacious with ample storage, air-conditioning, hair dryer, bathrobe, toiletries and personal safe.
There is a large air-conditioned lounge located on the main deck with comfortable seating, plasma screen, camera set-up station, numerous charging points and guest storage drawers. There is a shaded outdoor lounge area located on the upper deck and spacious sun deck with hot tub and sun loungers.
Meals are served in the dining area located on the main deck and are a combination of local and international cuisine. Snacks are served throughout the day and tea/coffee, soft drinks and juices are complimentary during your stay on board.
The large dive deck is located at the rear of the main deck and has individual storage lockers for each diver, camera table, fresh water rinse tanks and showers. Diving is from one of the three tenders, making for easy access to dive sites.
Diving in French Polynesia can be challenging and as such, we recommend guests are a minimum of Advanced Open Water or equivalent and have over 50 logged dives, with experience in currents and are nitrox certified.
Itineraries
On a typical 7-night itinerary you will be offered between 18-20 dives and 10-night itineraries up to 30 dives will be possible.
Tuamotu Archipelago
Itinerary includes: Rangiroa, Apataki, Toau, Fakarava North, Fakarava South, Tikehau and Kauehi
Typical Day:
Light Breakfast followed by a briefing & Dive 1
Full Breakfast, relaxation period, briefing & Dive 2
Lunch, relaxation period, briefing & Dive 3
Snack relaxation period, briefing & Dive 4, where possible
Dinner
Fakarava and the UNESCO Biosphere Reserve
Itinerary includes: Fakarva, Toau, Kauehi, Faaite, Niau and Raraka
Typical Day:
Light Breakfast followed by a briefing & Dive 1
Full Breakfast, relaxation period, briefing & Dive 2
Lunch, relaxation period, briefing & Dive 3
Snack relaxation period, briefing & Dive 4, where possible
Dinner
Marquesas Islands
Itinerary includes: The Hammerhead Sentinel, Nuku Hiva Melon-headed Whales, Matateiko Point, Tikapo Rock, Motumano Point, Ekamako Cave, Clark Bank, Loson Bank, Ua Huka Island and Fatu Hiva Island
You will be shown the very best of the islands, however there is also an exploratory element to this itinerary as well so this will likely include sites that are little known or being dived for the very first time.
Typical day:
Light Breakfast followed by a briefing and Dive 1
Full Breakfast, relaxation followed by briefing and Dive 2
Lunch, relaxation followed by briefing and Dive 3
Snack
Briefing for Sunset or Night dive
Dinner
Ready for your next adventure?
Great Escapes Diving Holidays Ltd
Combs Tannery
Tannery Road
Combs
Stowmarket
Suffolk
IP14 2EN
United Kingdom
Office hours: Mondays to Fridays, 9am - 5pm
Tel: 01449 535010
Email: info@greatescapesdiving.com
All the flights and flight-inclusive holidays on this website are financially protected by the ATOL scheme. When you pay you will be supplied with an ATOL Certificate. Please ask for it and check to ensure that everything you booked (flights, hotels and other services) is listed on it. Please see our booking conditions for further information or for more information about financial protection and the ATOL Certificate go to: www.atol.org.uk/ATOLcertificate
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